Kelaas Shuru Shod (Freedom is Coming)
Ashley Zarah
Ashley Zarah is an Iranian-American pop artist based in Los Angeles, California. Born to Iranian Judean refugees who escaped during the Islamic Revolution, she was raised in both a vibrant but tormented Iranian-Jewish community. Ashley attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she studied Music Production, Engineering, and Performance, as well as Eastern, microtonal music, reconnecting with her Iranian roots. A clever bridge between English, Farsi, and sometimes Hebrew... her music blends Western pop with traditional Persian influences, creating a unique sound that resonates with the Iranian diaspora and beyond.
Despite being blocked in numerous countries by the Islamic Republic of Iran, Kelaas Shuru Shod (Freedom is Coming) has amassed over 13,000 views on Youtube, as well as a collection of over 280,000 views on Instagram alone.
Written from the perspective of a schoolgirl in Iran, "Kelaas Shuru Shod (Class has Begun)" is an international dance anthem for FREEDOM... in honor of the brave, young women and students who are leading Iran's #WomanLifeFreedom Revolution today.
"it was important to me that Kelaas Shuru Shod (Freedom is Coming) was treated like a short film. The lyrics were the script, the music was the score – we were documenting a historical point in time, representing an entire revolution in another country. And if people were being arrested for dancing... we were also going to make it a dance video."
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Meet Our Classmates
Producer:
Shahrooz Mahmoodi & Higher Low Films
Co-Producer:
Samir Golshan
Co-Directors:
Ashley Zarah & Shahrooz Mahmoodi
DP (LA):
Steven Fadellin
DP (NY):
Christabelle Tan
DP (Turkiye):
Kian Koohestani
AD:
Mahiyar Mandegar
AC:
Alejandro Olmedo
PD:
Melissa Housos
Gaffer:
Micah Goldfarb
Key Grip:
Sebastian Kino
Casting Dir. & Higher Low:
Mehrdad Maktabi
Unit Prod. Manager & Higher Low:
Peroshat Saeidi
Makeup:
Ryanne Cleggett & Nina Bakhshi
Editor:
Ashley Zarah
Intro Edit:
Shahrooz Mahmoodi & Amir Kiani
Title Sequence:
Hamed Gholinasab
Soldiers:
Daniel Praddo (dancer), Pejman Ahmadi, Pezhmun Ghiassi
Dancers (LA):
Paria Honar, Yasaman Haddadizadeh, Noam Malca, Donya Afshar, May Perez
Dancers (NY):
Joanna Chavez, Sofia Mahdavi, Daelin Demari, Leini Ramos, Jibril Nur
Choreography:
Ashley Z. (with support from Shante Boudaghi)
Special thanks to our supportive friends at Electric Pony Studios
Higher Low Films is more than just a production company; they are a catalyst for creative empowerment. Passionate about fueling the ambitions of creators, allowing them to reach new heights while retaining full control over their artistic endeavors, they provide a tailored suite of services and collaborative approach so that each client is supported by a diverse and talented team of filmmakers who bring expertise and experience to breathe life into their vision.
#WOMAN
LIFE
FREEDOM
زن
زندگی
آزادی